control unit for a cooking hob

ABSTRACT

A control unit ( 10 ) for a cooking hob has at least one viewing window ( 24 ). The control unit ( 10 ) is attached or attachable below the viewing window ( 24 ) and comprises a plurality of control elements ( 12 ) operable from a top side of the control unit ( 10 ). At least one display ( 14 ) is arranged on the top side of the control unit ( 10 ). A control panel ( 16 ) forms an unmovable part of the control unit. A number of elastic elements ( 30 ) are for resiliently supporting the display ( 14 ) on the control unit ( 10 ). The control unit ( 10 ) comprises a display frame ( 18 ) for at least partially enclosing the display ( 14 ). The display frame ( 18 ) includes a sealing lip ( 28 ) on its upper side and the elastic elements ( 30 ) at its lower side. A cooking hob has at least one control unit ( 10 ).

The present invention relates to a control unit for a cooking hobaccording to the preamble of claim 1. Further, the present inventionrelates to a cooking hob with at least one control unit according to thepreamble of claim 12.

The control unit of a cooking hob is usually arranged within a casingand pressed against the lower surface of a glass-ceramics panel. Somecooking hobs comprise a display for indicating information. Since theglass-ceramics panel is at least partially transparent, the display maybe positioned directly below the glass-ceramics panel. The user can seethe display through a viewing window. Said viewing window may be formedby a blank portion of the glass-ceramics panel.

It is necessary that the display is pressed as closely as possibleagainst the lower surface of the glass-ceramics panel in order to obtaina sufficient optical quality. Further, a defined constant distancebetween the display and the glass-ceramics panel is always required forthe said sufficient optical quality. However, manufacturing tolerancesof the components of the cooking hob may cause different heights of thatintermediate space provided for receiving the control unit.

Further, it should be avoided that dust and other defilements can getinto the portion of the viewing window between the glass-ceramics paneland the display. For example, a fan inside the cooking hob may raisedust.

DE 2007 055 310 A1 discloses a cooking hob with a glass-ceramics panel.At the front border of the glass-ceramics panel there is a cutout forreceiving a transparent sheet made of glass. A casing is arranged belowthe transparent sheet. A board is arranged within the casing. Anelectronic control circuit and a display are arranged on the board. Thecasing is directly or by distance attached at the lower side of thetransparent sheet. The board is moveably bedded within the casing. Thus,manufacturing tolerances can be compensated by the moveable casing. Themoveable casing is realized by elastic spring elements or by elasticsnap-in elements. However, there are no means for preventing that dustcan get between the display and the transparent sheet. Further, it isvery complex to connect the transparent sheet to the glass-ceramicspanel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a control unit for acooking hob with a viewing window, which allows a dust-free intermediatespace between the display and the viewing window.

The object of the present invention is achieved by the control unitaccording to claim 1.

According to the present invention the control unit comprises a displayframe for enclosing at least partially the display, wherein the displayframe includes a sealing lip on its upper side and the elastic elementsat its lower side.

The main idea of the present invention is the combination of the sealinglip and the elastic elements within one element, i.e. the display frame.The sealing lip is pressed or can be pressed against the viewing windowand allows a dust-free intermediate space between the display and theviewing window. The elastic elements allow a resiliently supporting ofthe display on the control unit, so that manufacturing tolerances can becompensated.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the displayframe is formed as a single-piece part. Preferably, the display frame ismade of silicone.

In particular, the control unit is provided for a cooking hob with atleast one glass-ceramics panel, wherein the viewing window forms a partof said glass-ceramics panel. For example, the viewing window is a blankpart of said glass-ceramics panel.

Further, the control unit may comprise a display carrier embedding thedisplay frame and the display. The display carrier provides a guard forthe display.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention theelastic knobs penetrate through corresponding holes in a bottom side ofthe display carrier, so that the display carrier, the display frame andthe display form a moveable structural unit with the control unit. Forexample, the display carrier, the display frame and the display aresupported on the control panel by the elastic knobs.

Additionally, the display carrier may be attached or attachable on thecontrol panel by at least one snap-in mechanism.

Further, the control unit may comprise an interface casing, in which thecontrol panel is unmovable attached or attachable. Otherwise, thedisplay carrier, the display frame and the display may be moveablyattached or attachable within the interface casing.

The object of the present invention is further achieved by the cookinghob according to claim 12.

According to the present invention the cooking hob comprises at leastone control unit as described above.

Further, the cooking hob may comprise at least one glass-ceramics panel,wherein the viewing window forms a part of said glass-ceramics panel. Inparticular, the viewing window is a blank part of said glass-ceramicspanel.

Novel and inventive features of the present invention are set forth inthe appended claims.

The present invention will be described in further detail with referenceto the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of acontrol unit according to the present invention, and

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional front view of a central portion of thepreferred embodiment of the control unit according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of acontrol unit 10 according to the present invention. The control unit 10comprises a display 14, a display frame 18, a display carrier 20, acontrol panel 16 and an interface casing 22. For example, the display 14may be TFT screen.

The display frame 18 includes a sealing lip 28 on its upper side and anumber of elastic knobs 30 at its lower side. On the control panel 16 aplurality of control elements 12 is arranged. The control panel 16 isformed as a board for electronic elements.

The display frame 18 is provided for receiving the display 14, so thatthe display frame 18 encloses circumferentially the display 14. Theouter portions of both large-area sides of the display 14 are alsocovered by the display frame 18.

The display carrier 20 is provided for receiving the display frame 18and the display 14, so that the display frame 18 with the display 14 isembedded within said display carrier 20. The sealing lip 28 of thedisplay frame 18 is provided for sealing the intermediate space betweenthe display 14 and a viewing window and/or a glass-ceramics panel.

The interface casing 22 is provided for receiving the control panel 16.The interface casing 22 comprises a convexity 32 at its side wall. Theconvexity 32 is provided for receiving a ferrite element. The ferriteelement can be used as a suppression shielding of the electromagneticfield.

The display carrier 20 comprises a number of holes on its bottom side,so that the elastic knobs 30 can penetrate through the bottom side ofthe display carrier 20. The elastic knobs 30 are provided for an elasticsupporting of the display carrier 20 with the display frame 18 and thedisplay 14 on the upper side of the control panel 16. The displaycarrier 20 can be fixed on the upper side of the control panel 16 withinthe interface casing 22 by a snap-in mechanism. The elastic knobs 30allow a resilient bearing of the display carrier 20 with the displayframe 18 and the display 14.

In this example, the display frame 18 is a single-piece part and is madeof silicone. The silicone allows a sufficient resilience of the sealinglip 28 and of the knobs 30.

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional front view of the preferred embodiment ofa central portion of the control unit 10 according to the presentinvention. The control unit 10 is a mounted state and arranged between aglass-ceramics panel 24 and a support panel 26.

The glass-ceramics panel 24 and the support panel 26 are alignedhorizontally and parallel to each other. The support panel 26 isdisposed at a distance below the glass-ceramics panel 24. For example,the support panel 26 may be a spool carrier or a part of a holding framefixed at the glass-ceramics panel 24.

The control unit 10 includes the display 14, the display frame 18, thedisplay carrier 20, the control panel 16 and the interface casing 22.The display 14 is embedded within the display frame 18. In turn, thedisplay frame 18 with the display 14 is embedded within the displaycarrier 20.

The display 14, the display frame 18 and the display carrier 20 form astructural unit, which is moveably bedded between the glass-ceramicspanel 24 and the control panel 16. On the upper side of said structuralunit the sealing lip 28 is pressed against the glass-ceramics panel 24.At the lower side of said structural unit the elastic knobs 30 rest onthe control panel 16. Thus, the structural unit is resiliently beddedbetween the glass-ceramics panel 24 and the control panel 16.

The elastic knobs 30 allow a resilient bearing of the structural unitincluding the display 14, the display frame 18 and the display carrier20. The elastic knobs 30 are able to compensate manufacturing tolerancesof the components of the control unit 10. The sealing lip 28 of thedisplay frame 18 allows a dust-free intermediate space between thedisplay 14 and the glass-ceramics panel 24.

Although the above described control unit is provided for a cooking witha glass-ceramics panel, in general, the inventive cooking hob issuitable for an arbitrary cooking hob with at least one viewing window.

Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the present invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may beaffected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 control unit-   12 control element-   14 display-   16 control panel-   18 display frame-   20 display carrier-   22 interface casing-   24 glass-ceramics panel, viewing window-   26 support panel-   28 sealing lip-   30 elastic knob-   32 convexity

1. A control unit for a cooking hob with at least one viewing window(24), which control unit (10) is attached or attachable below saidviewing window (24) and comprises: a plurality of control elements (12)operable from a top side of the control unit (10), at least one display(14) arranged on the top side of the control unit (10), a control panel(16) forming an unmoveable part of the control unit (10), and aplurality of elastic elements (30) for resiliently supporting thedisplay (14) on the control unit (10), wherein the control unit (10)comprises a display frame (18) for enclosing at least partially thedisplay (14), and the display frame (18) includes a sealing lip (28) onits upper side and the elastic elements (30) at its lower side.
 2. Thecontrol unit according to claim 1, wherein the display frame (18) isformed as a single-piece part.
 3. The control unit according to claim 1,wherein the display frame (18) is made of silicone.
 4. The control unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit is provided for a cookinghob with at least one glass-ceramics panel (24), and the viewing windowforms a part of said glass-ceramics panel (24).
 5. The control unitaccording to claim 4, wherein the viewing window is a blank part of saidglass-ceramics panel (24).
 6. The control unit according to claim 1,wherein the control unit (10) comprises a display carrier (20) embeddingthe display frame (18) and the display (14).
 7. The control unitaccording to claim 6, wherein the elastic elements are knobs thatpenetrate through corresponding holes in a bottom side of the displaycarrier (20), so that the display carrier (20), the display frame (18)and the display (14) form a moveable structural unit with the controlunit (10).
 8. The control unit according to claim 7, wherein the displaycarrier (20), the display frame (18) and the display (14) are supportedon the control panel (16) by the elastic knobs (30).
 9. The control unitaccording to claim 6, wherein the display carrier (20) is attached orattachable on the control panel (16) by at least one snap-in mechanism.10. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (10)comprises an interface casing (22), in which the control panel (16) isunmovable attached or attachable.
 11. The control unit according toclaim 10, wherein the display carrier (20), the display frame (18) andthe display (14) are moveably attached or attachable within theinterface casing (22).
 12. A cooking hob with at least one viewingwindow (24) comprising: at least one control unit positioned below theviewing window comprising: a plurality of control elements (12) operablefrom a top side of the control unit (10), at least one display (14)arranged on the top side of the control unit (10), a control panel (16)forming an unmoveable part of the control unit (10); and a plurality ofelastic elements (30) for resiliently supporting the display (14) on thecontrol unit (10), with the control unit (10) including a display frame(18) for enclosing at least partially the display (14), and the displayframe (18) includes a sealing lip (28) on its upper side and the elasticelements (30) at its lower side
 13. The cooking hob according to claim12, wherein the cooking hob comprises at least one glass-ceramics panel(24), wherein a viewing window forms a part of said glass-ceramics panel(24).
 14. The cooking hob according to claim 13, wherein the viewingwindow is a blank part of said glass-ceramics panel (24).